NHL Roundup: Jonathan Toews leads Hawks, Maple Leafs sign Dryden McKay, and more
Anthony Scultore
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Today’s NHL Roundup recaps the only game on the docket for April 25, 2022.
The Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers have long since been eliminated from playoff contention. As the teams finish out their final few games of the season they are playing for pride. For the Hawks, they wanted to give their fans something they haven’t enjoyed ofter– a win at home.
Meanwhile, the Toronto Maple Leafs added another goaltender to their stable by signing Hobey Baker Award winner Dryden McKay. The Detroit Red Wings also signed their 2021 first round pick Simon Edvinsson to his ELC.
NHL Roundup: Blackhawks 3, Flyers 1
Jonathan Toews had a goal and an assist, Erik Gustafsson and Alex DeBrincat scored and Kevin Lankinen stopped 33 shots as the Chicago Blackhawks opened their final homestand of the season with a 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night.
Chicago snapped a six-game skid in the series while winning for just the fifth time in the past 18 meetings with the Flyers.
The Blackhawks (27-42-11, 65 points) won for the third time in 15 games overall. The Flyers (25-44-11, 61 points) lost for the seventh time in nine games, falling short of their bid to match a season high with a third straight victory.
The Blackhawks won for just the second time in their past 10 games at United Center.
“It was just good to get a win, especially at home,” Blackhawks coach Derek King said. “Finish right at home, get the fans out of their seats… when they walk out of here and get in their cars, they’re talking about our team, about how they competed or how they won the game. That’s all we can ask for.”
Maple Leafs sign G Dryden McKay
Goaltender Dryden McKay, the reigning Hobey Baker Award winner as the top player in college hockey, signed a two-year contract on Monday with the Toronto Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies.
McKay, who starred for four seasons at Minnesota State, recently received a six-month suspension from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency after a positive test for ostarine, a prohibited substance. The 24-year-old goalie blamed the positive test on a tainted vitamin D3 immune booster that he took to avoid COVID-19.
He is coming off a season in which he went 38-5-0 with a 1.31 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage. McKay guided Minnesota State to the national championship game, where it lost 5-1 to Denver.
McKay’s 38 wins were a single-season NCAA Division I record, and he also broke the Division I mark for most career shutouts, posting 34.
He ended up 113-20-4 with a 1.46 GAA and a .932 save percentage over 140 games for Minnesota State.
According to the Marlies, per McKay’s drug suspension, he will be eligible to enter club facilities on Aug. 25 and play for the team beginning Oct. 11.
Red Wings sign 2021 first round pick
The Detroit Red Wings signed defenseman Simon Edvinsson to a three-year entry-level contract on Sunday.
The deal will begin with the 2022-23 season for Edvinsson, who was selected by the Red Wings with the sixth overall pick of the 2021 NHL Draft.
Edvinsson, 19, recorded 19 points (two goals, 17 assists) and a plus-13 rating in 44 games this season for Frolunda HC of the Swedish Hockey League.
The 6-foot-4 Swede was named a finalist for the SHL Rookie of the Year Award.
Ryan Lomberg suspended
Florida Panthers forward Ryan Lomberg was automatically suspended for one game Monday under the NHL’s rule of instigating in the final five minutes of a game.
Panthers coach Andrew Brunette was fined $10,000.
The incident occurred Sunday in the Panthers’ 8-4 win over Tampa Bay.
Lomberg initiated a fight with Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak with 3:36 remaining in the third period. Lomberg was sent off with a 10-minute misconduct and Brunette was ejected.
Lomberg, 27, has 17 points (nine goals, eight assists) and 92 penalty minutes in 53 games this season.
–Field Level Media contributed to this article.